UK retail sales rose by 0.5% in August, with sunshine and dry conditions giving shoppers a reason to head back to the high street.
It’s the third month in a row that sales have gone up, according to the Office for National Statistics. Clothing stores, online retailers, and food specialists like bakers and butchers all saw gains. Some retailers put the boost down to better weather.
Looking over the past three months, sales volumes dipped slightly by 0.1%. Volumes were still 2.1% below where they were before the pandemic began, but up 0.7% compared with August last year.
Online spending kept climbing too, rising by 0.4% in August and by 4.7% on the year. Online sales made up 27.6% of total retail, holding fairly steady compared with July.
“UK shoppers are proving surprisingly resilient, as retail sales stay steady through the summer even after Labour’s tax hikes," commented eToro's Lal Akoner.
"But the good news on the high street doesn’t erase the bad news in the public accounts. A swelling budget deficit means the Chancellor will almost certainly return for more revenue, and history suggests that usually puts the most pressure on households."